


The Case of Monachopsis

by ProximityNexus



Category: Original Work
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Art, Characters of color, Digital Art, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/F, F/M, Friends to Enemies, Hurt/Comfort, I don’t really elaborate on the magic of my world, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Implied/Referenced Suicide, LGBTQ Female Character of Color, Love/Hate, M/M, Magical Bond, Magical Violence, Mythical Beings & Creatures, Original Character Death(s), Self amputation, Self-Esteem Issues, Slow Burn, Soft Magic System, look at how many issues I can project onto my ocs, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-03
Updated: 2020-04-03
Packaged: 2020-11-22 10:30:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,953
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20872730
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ProximityNexus/pseuds/ProximityNexus
Summary: Monachosis n. The subtle but persistent feeling of being out of placeThe stakes are high for Ira Lagear. Having lost more than just her eye in a tragic event from her past, she must learn to adapt to the cruel world of magic. She’s not alone, though. The criminal world might be harrowing, but it also strengthens the bonds between friends and maybe, Ira can learn how to trust again.Or,Suffer alone at the hands of evil.





	The Case of Monachopsis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dedication Message: To Alexis, who was the first to ever read the story and saw potential in it. 
> 
> This wouldn’t be Ira’s first case, but it would be her final case... all alone.

Sluggishly working till the crack of dawn was nothing new to Ira Lagear. She had spent an inordinate amount of time feeling as if she could drop dead from exhaustion. Between her time working in the office and filing papers, she never expected to find herself being called out to a live crime scene. They had been working so hard to find the Night-Stalker, but every time they got close to catching him, he always managed to evade them without a scratch. As a result, her commander was at his wits end about it. Ira couldn’t remember the last time she assisted with a magical investigation. If she recalled correctly, she was only there to look like she had a purpose. Afterall, her colleagues were very much against working with someone like herself. It didn’t bother her that she suffered her whole life being the center of everyone’s hatred, until now that is. She wondered if people treated her differently because of her appearance: she had a facial scar that drew unwanted attention everywhere she went. They’d always wonder what she did to deserve being “disfigured” as they always said. 

Gently, Ira’s fingers swept across the soft scar tissue as she traced the outline of where her right eye once was. She used to hide it with long bangs, even though it made her look disgruntled all of the time. But when she was offered a position in Commander Brian’s task force, she was forced to cut it off to appear more professional. In hindsight, a mask would have benefited her better than her hair ever could. It was too late now. 

Needless to say, it had made her even more self-conscious about her appearance. She had low self-esteem to begin with, and the negative reactions to her scar crushed whatever confidence she had left. She wasn’t ready to tell her story of all the pain and suffering she endured. It wasn’t the epic tale that people were expecting it to be, quite the opposite in fact. Tragedy followed her everywhere she went and there were seldom any moments where she felt truly happy. To be frank, Ira always felt different, but not in a good way. 

Ira began to claw her way out of stupor, not quite willing to let herself be screwed over once more. It felt like the world slipped out from beneath her feet, even though she had only done little more than just stand up. Despite being stronger than the average human, the consequences of not taking care of her body still took effect. The only person she could blame was Brian; the one who made her sit for 24 hours straight to do paperwork. Ira gripped her desk lightly to help support her body weight as her mobility increased slowly. She leaned against it as her gaze swept over the other people in the room with her. They were tired, but had already gotten themselves prepared. She sighed to herself, glanced down at her legs and waited for them to respond. When she got no reaction, she punched them a couple of times to jolt them awake. 

There was always the option of asking for help, yet the concept of putting her trust into someone was laughable. Pushing that thought aside, she reached for her satchel and grabbed the items that she needed. She set aside some of her paperwork, revealing the book she had been reading to pass time between breaks. Ira gently ran her hand across the cover titled, “The Art of Blood Magic”. It was obvious what the content inside focused on. Blood magic was the only type of magic that didn’t require any connection to the elemental plane, that Ira knew of anyways. It’s why she took an interest in learning about the properties of blood. If she wanted to work in a world surrounded by danger in every corner, she had to better prepare herself for life and death situations.

Ira grew up with the misconception that to use blood magic, a sacrifice had to be made. However, after reading through the book, she learned that even the slightest droplet of blood held enough power to cast a spell. It was hard, even for Ira, to comprehend such a thing. She considered the possibilities of practicing other dark arts, but the fear of being ridiculed by her peers who possessed raw magic immediately deterred her. She would rather try to blend in than stick out even more. Of course, she knew of another method of obtaining the power she so very much desired. Except, it wasn’t worth the risk. There was no way of knowing what would happen to her if she went that far. There would be no turning back. She wouldn’t be human– she wasn’t human anymore. Abandoning the unfinished work on her desk, she followed the rest of her colleagues to the exit.

The ride was nothing but painful for Ira. The effects of sitting for 24 hours were eating away at Ira’s physical state. Although, she was glad to have taken a carriage instead of a vehicle like the others. Vehicles were faster and more effective form of transportation. Horses were still in use, but most people preferred using vehicles, solely because they were powered by magic and required less maintenance. Ira preferred the long drive by horse. It gave her time to relax before having to walk around a crime scene while aimlessly trying to find evidence. Suddenly, the carriage stopped and Ira reluctantly paid her fee before leaving. A sharp pain made itself known with the movement of her leg before she stepped out of the carriage, gingerly. She’d definitely need a massage and a day off after this whole ordeal. With a quick glance around the area, Ira noticed that there were officers searching the area for what she guessed was the criminal. 

The sky was still dark and no stars could be spotted. It wasn’t the prettiest night out but there wasn’t much to look at to begin with usually. Downtown was the worst place to be in for stargazing. No one could ever see anything in this part of the city. Ira turned her attention back to the ground, taking in the sight of apartment buildings that stretched down the road. Lamp posts were scattered throughout the pavement, illuminating only the small space that the light could reach. Alleyways diverged into maze-like tunnels that held an endless amount of possibilities in which crime could ensue. Lost in her hazy consciousness, the sound of approaching footsteps slipped her mind.

“Lagear.” The voice startled her, causing her to jolt. She turned to face the person who was talking to her and to her horror, found her commander staring right back at her.

“What do you think you’re doing Lagear?” Commander Brian asked, voice stern.

“Standing, sir.” She replied with a mischievous grin on her face. The other man grimaced in annoyance, too stressed to deal with any snarkiness that Ira was willing to throw at him. He would reprimand her another time for her piss-poor attitude. In the meantime, it was better that he equipped her with something to defend herself with. Slowly, Brian reached for his utility belt and handed Ira one of his daggers. Ira’s hand shifted, trying to adjust to the feeling of having a weapon in her hand. 

“Go search for the assailant like everyone else.” He ordered before dismissing her so he could go back to his post. His expression darkened instantly as he began speaking to the sentinels that were gathered in a small circle. Ira noticed how his shoulders stiffened as the conversation continued on.

Ira scowled. She felt inclined to leave and have Brian deal with everything. He was fully capable of taking down someone with his own bare hands. She didn’t have that kind of strength. However, there was something about his body language that suggested the situation needed as many hands as it could get. All hands on deck, Ira thought. Biting back the urge to abandon her job, she left to go catch up with the others. It would have to wait for another time. There was always tomorrow. Maybe then, she could try to quit her awful job. It was a miracle that Brian gave her a job position in the first place, but after being overworked and harassed, Ira could do without a job. 

Thinking back to the matter at hand, Ira thought back to the case. The assailant she was looking for was a serial killer who arrived in the district only a few months back. They called him the Night-Stalker. The suspect had been confirmed as a male with a high-level magical skill set, making him a risk and tricky to capture. Anyone with magic was a challenge to arrest, especially if they know what they’re doing. That information did little to nothing to help ease Ira’s worries. How was she supposed to protect herself from someone like him? If she somehow managed to encounter him, she might as well just give up and accept her fate. She had no idea how to wield a dagger, let alone defend herself. The only thing she knew how to do was fill out paperwork and even that was enough to make her want to quit. 

Suddenly, explosions rang in the air above, throwing Ira out of her trance. Shouting from several people alerted Ira that whoever they were looking for, was nearby. Hastily, Ira began sprinting towards the direction of where she heard the explosion. She had wandered into an alleyway that seemed to be a dead end. However, when she glanced over her shoulder, she noticed a glittering trail of silvery particles floating in the air around her. There, at the end of the trail, was a silver figure. Her best guess was that it was the criminal and he was standing right in front of her.

Her first reaction was to escape to safety, but she suddenly realized that she had been cornered. She was alone and without backup, so she was out of options at this point. She’d have to face him. Obviously, Ira wasn’t confident in her ability to fight back, but she readied herself with her dagger anyways. Slowly, she turned and paled at the sight before her. Her hand clenched as the figure revealed himself menacingly. Where was the rest of her division? Why weren’t they coming to help? Why did everything suddenly get quiet?

“So you can see me. I didn’t know humans could do that, but you don’t seem quite human as you look. Not even your buddies can see me..” He said, his gaze piercing into Ira’s soul as if he were tearing it apart. He was right about one thing. She wasn’t human, not anymore. 

The man in front of her sneered, looking directly into Ira’s eye before disappearing into the air as smoke. She stood still, not daring to move from her position in case he was deceiving her. Ira took a deep breath, shuddering slightly before lifting her head up to glance around her shoulder. The man, now behind her, smiled as he waited for her next reaction. There was no chance she could talk her way out of this– there wasn’t even a possibility of fighting back and winning. He killed countless other officers like herself and nothing had changed now that it was her turn to be the next victim. Ira sighed as she let her dagger drop to the ground in surrender.

“Eventually, you’re going to kill me, so I’ll just make it easier for both of us.” Ira said, breaking the silence that grew between them.  
~~~~~~~~~


End file.
